INDIA MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

Transcription

1 184 INDIA Area... 4,684,000 sq. km. Population (II. 1936) 371,034,000 Density per sq. km MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARMED FORCES. The armed forces of India are the army, the air force and the navy; they are under the Defence Department. The army consists of the following forces : i. Regular British forces; 2. Regular Indian forces; 3. Auxiliary force; 4. Indian territorial force; 5. Indian army reserve; 6. Indian States forces when placed at the disposal of the Government of India. The regular British forces are composed of units of the British service. No individual British service unit is located permanently in India; units of the British army are detailed for a tour of foreign service of which the major part is, as a rule, spent in India. In the case of the infantry, for example, one battalion of a regiment serves in the United Kingdom and the other overseas. The regular British forces in India are the cavalry, infantry, artillery, engineers, tank corps and air force. Since I92I, a proportion of Indian combatant ranks. has been included in British infantry battalions. Up to I921, the combatant personnel had been entirely British. In the artillery, Indians are employed as drivers and artificers (horse and field artillery), or as drivers, gunners and artificers (pack artillery), or as gunners and artificers (garrison artillery), or as gunners only (coast artillery). The Royal Air Force in India is part of the Indian Imperial Defence Force and, in this respect, is placed under the Commanderin-Chief in India.

2 INDIA 185 The regular Indian forces are the cavalry, infantry and pioneers, signal services, medical services, Army Service Corps and mechanical transport service, etc. Besides the regular Indian forces, there exists an Indian army reserve consisting of the reserve of Indian cavalry, artillery, sappers and miners, Indian signal corps, Indian infantry and pioneers. The Indian army reserve includes also the reserve of Gurkha groups, the reserve of the Indian Army Service Corps and the special reserve of the Hazara pioneers. Besides the Indian army reserve, there is an Indian supplementary reserve consisting of technical personnel needed to complete the effectives required for the army on general mobilisation. The auxiliary force was established in I920. Membership is limited to European British subjects. It constitutes a potential reinforcement of the regular army, and its units may be called out or embodied for local service only. Units of the auxiliary force are under the command of the local military authority. The auxiliary force comprises all branches of the service : cavalry, artillery, infantry, engineers, railway troops, Army Service Corps, medical corps, etc. The Indian territorial force consists of three main categories provincial battalions, which may be regarded as the second line of the regular Indian army and may be required to serve anywhere in India, and even beyond, in an emergency; the university training corps, which are recruited from the staff and students of Indian universities and are mainly educational and have no liability for service; and the urban units, which have a limited liability for service confined to the province in which they are located. The Indian States forces consist of the military forces raised and maintained by the rulers of Indian States at their own expense and for State service. A staff of British officers is provided for these forces; the officers give advice in the organising and training of the: troops of the different Indian States. (i) Northern Command: I. Army., COMPOSITION OF THE ARMY. (July 1938.) 2 cavalry brigades; 3 infantry brigades; 7 covering troops brigades; 4 brigade areas. The navy comprises 5 escort vessels (7,000 tons) and 3 miscellaneous units.

3 i86 INDIA (2)7Western Command: 2 infantry brigades; 2 independent brigade areas. (3) Eastern Command: i cavalry brigade; 4 infantry brigades; 2 brigade areas, of which i independent. (4) Southern Command: i cavalry brigade; 3 infantry brigades; 2 brigade areas, of which i independent. I. Regular British Forces (I939-40). Cavalry regiments Horse batteries... 3 Field batteries Heavy batteries Medium batteries... 6 Light batteries... I Mountain batteries Anti-aircraft batteries... I Infantry battalions. 43 Light tank companies.. 6 Engineers (companies) I Royal Corps of Signals (companies)... I The following main changes have been made in ' (a) Alterations in peace establishments of Indian cavalry and infantry battalions, active, due to replacement of Viceroy's commissioned officers by a further batch of Indian commissioned officers and Indian warrant officers, as a result of Indianisation. (b) Reorganisation of Indian cavalry and reduction.in the authorised establishment of cavalry reservists. (c) Artillery (i) mechanisation of one Royal Horse Artillery battery, (ii) second and third stages in conversion of light batteries into mountain batteries, (iii) reorganisation of coast defences, (iv) alterations to fort armament establishments, and (v) alterations to training-centre.establishments. (d) Royal Tank Corps : Disbandment of four light tank companies (equipped with armoured cars) and the formation of a Royal Tank Corps depot. 1 Including i8 Indian batteries.

4 INDIA 187 (e) Indian Signal Corps : Line of communication telegraph companies and other minor reorganisations. (f) Conversion of two British cavalry regiments into lighttank regiments and the return of one horsed cavalry regiment to the home establishment without replacement. (g) Conversion of 4 British infantry battalions into machinegun battalions and 20o into rifle battalions. Cavalry. Three British cavalry regiments are now converting to British cavalry light-tank regiments; the remaining regiment is still a horsed regiment. Infantry 39 British infantry battalions, each of 4 companies. Artillery. Royal Horse Artillery.-Each battery is armed with six is-pounder guns. Field Horsed Artillery. Higher and Lower Establishment Brigades. -Four brigades on higher, four on lower establishments, each consisting of headquarters and 4 batteries (2 batteries of six 18 pdrs. and 2 batteries of six 4.5" howitzers on higher establishment and 2 batteries of four i8 pdrs. each and 2 batteries of four 4.5" howitzers on lower establishment). Field Mechanised Artillery.--Two brigades, each consisting of headquarters and 4 batteries (2 batteries of four i8-pounder guns each and 2 batteries of four 4.5" howitzers each). Royal Field Artillery, Ammunition Columns.-Two divisional ammunition columns are maintained for the artillery of the first and second divisions, and i field ammunition column. All these units are mechanised. Mountain and Light (Mountain) Artillery.-One brigade, consisting of headquarters, i British (light battery) and 3 Indian mountain batteries, each of four 3.7" howitzers; five brigades, each consisting of headquarters and 4 batteries, each of four 3.7 ' howitzers. Medium Artillery.-Two brigades, each consisting of 3 batteries (2 batteries of six 6" howitzers and i battery of four 6o-pounder guns). A nti-aircraft.-one battery (eight 3-inch guns). Heavy.-One brigade (2 batteries).

5 188 INDIA Frontier Brigade.-One corps manning 15 posts. The posts are : Kohat Peshawar Chakdara Idak Arawali Hindubagh Fort Sandeman Razani Thal Malakand Fort Lockhart Damdil Chaman Shagai Saidgi The corps is responsible for manning the armament allotted for the defence of these posts. Tank and Armoured-Car Companies. Units of the Royal Tank Corps in India are being gradually disbanded in conjunction with the reorganisation of British cavalry regiments. Engineers. The engineers include 4 branches : (i) Field units;.(2) Work services; (3) Defence lights maintenance section; (4) Transportation. Field Units.-The field units consist of 3 field troops, 17 field companies, 4 divisional headquarters companies and 4 army troops companies. The units form part of the 3 corps of sappers and miners. Air Force. 2 wing headquarters. 4 bomber squadrons. i bomber transport squadron. 3 army co-operation squadrons. i communication flight, i aircraft depot. The establishment of the Royal Air Force in India provided in the budget estimate for is 244 British officers, 1,884 British airmen, i Indian officer and 309 Indian other ranks and artificers; 823 followers. Services. Royal Army Service Corps. Royal Army Medical Corps. The Army Dental Corps. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. Queen Alexandra's Military Nursing Service for India. Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

6 Cavalry. INDIA 18 9 II. Regular Indian Forces. The number of Indian cavalry regiments is 2I. During I937, a reorganisation took place by which these 21 regiments were linked into 3 groups. Each group consists of 6 active regiments and I training regiment. The training regiment is responsible for the training of recruits and reservists of all active regiments of the group. Each active regiment is now organised on the basis of headquarter wing (including a Vickers-Berthier troop) and three sabre squadrons, each consisting of three sabre troops and one light machine-gun troop. Two of the active regiments are now converting into Indian armoured regiments. The training regiment is organised on the basis of regimental headquarters and three training squadrons. A training squadron maintains two active regiments of the group. The total reserve establishment of the Indian cavalry is 1,98o (class " C "). Reserve training is biennial, consisting of three periods of training during reserve service. Artillery.' One brigade of field horsed artillery consisting of 4 batteries (2 batteries of four i8-pdrs. each and 2 batteries of four 4.5" howitzers each). Infantry. Active battalions Gurkha regiments... o (20 battalions) Training battalions The organisation of an infantry battalion other than training battalions is built up on the basis of a section, the smallest unit of men, which is commanded by a naick or lance-naick, the junior noncommissioned officers in the battalion. A section consists of from 8 to II men. A platoon comprises 4 sections. In the infantry, 3 of these are rifle sections and i a Lewis-gun section. In the pioneers, all four are rifle sections. The platoon is commantded by an Indian officer (jemadar or subadar). The company comprises 4 platoons. There are 4 companies in each infantry battalion. The total infantry reserve establishment (for 77 battalions) 2 is 21,560 (class C). Reserve service for Gurkhas is voluntary, their reserve establishment being 2,ooo. 1 For Indian mountain batteries, see under I. Regular British Forces. 2 Includes reserve establishment of the Indian infantry battalions lent for service in China and Federated Malay States.

7 Igo INDIA Indian Air Force. i army co-operation squadron. The establishment of the Force for the year I is 21- officers and i57 airmen. Signal Services. The Indian Signal Corps comprises a signal training centre, 2 corps signals, 3 cavalry brigade signal troops, 4 divisional signals, 3 district signals. In addition, there is an Army-Signal School, which carries out the training of regimental signalling instructors,. and of personnel for wireless units, respectively. Medical Services. The medical services are organised into (I) British military hospitals, (II) Indian military hospitals and (III) Indian hospital corps (5 companies). There are 28 hospitals first class, 20 second class, 33 third class, 36 fourth class and 17 fifth class. Army Service Corps and Transport Service. The -Indian Army Service Corps is constituted in two main branchesnamely: (a) Supply : I7 companies. (b) Animal transport and mechanical transport units (40 animal and 6 mechanical transport companies; there are also 6 companies and i6 independent mechanical transport sections). Ordnance Services. The ordnance services may be broadly described as the agency whose duty it is to supply the army with munitions of war, such as small-arms, guns, ammunition and other equipment of a technical military character, and also, under an arrangement introduced in recent years, with clothing and general stores other than engineering stores. There are 6 arsenals and 4 ordnance depots. Remount and Veterinary Services. (a) The Remount Service.-The department is organised on lines corresponding to the remount service in the United Kingdom. (b) The Veterinary Service.-The army veterinary services are responsible for the welfare of the animals of the army, about 78,000 in number. It is organised in 67 veterinary hospitals, 9 sick-lines and 14 sections. AUXILIARY FORCE. The Auxiliary Force is the successor of the Indian Volunteer Force, which in I9I7 gave place to the Indian Defence Force, in which service was obligatory for the period of war. After the war, the question of universal training for European British subjects came up for consideration, and it was decided that in India, as elsewhere in the Empire, the adoption of compulsory

8 INDIA I9I military service would be undesirable. It was Tecognised, however, that India needed some adequate auxiliary force, if only on a voluntary basis, that could be trained to a fairly definite standard of efficiency; and in the result, an Act to constitute an auxiliary force for service in India was passed in 120o. Under this Act, membership is limited to European British subjects. The units comprising it are liable to be called out, or embodied for local service only, thus constituting a potential reinforcement to the regular army. The auxiliary force comprises all branches of the service-cavalry, artillery, engineers, infantry-in which are included railway battalions, machine-gun companies, and the R.A.S.C. sections. The organisation is that of regular units of the British army, a regular adjutant being appointed to each regiment, battalion and artillery brigade. Units of the auxiliary force are under the command of the local military authority. In some stations-e.g., Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, etc.- auxiliary force units of different arms are grouped together permanently, under an auxiliary force commanding officer, for administration and immediate command. In other places, each unit is under its own commander, who is responsible for the unit to the local military commander. The force, including reservists, aggregates some I8,ooo of all ranks. The personnel of this force includes three categories-viz., active class, first (A) and second (B) reserve. Men enrol in the auxiliary force for an indefinite period. An enrolled person is entitled to claim his discharge on the completion of four years' service or on attaining the age of 45 years. Till then, he can only be discharged on the recommendation of the advisory committee of the area. Annual training -periods are as follows Active class (excluding railway units): Recruits Trained soldiers.... i Railway units: Recruits..... i Trained soldiers Officers and N.C.O.s... I2 Privates In addition, all personnel, reservists included, are required to complete a musketry course. Days COMPOSITION OF THE AUXILIARY FORCE. Cavalry : Io regiments (8 squadrons, 62 motor patrols, ii troops, 2 armoured-car sections, i infantry company, I section of motor-cycles and 2 W.T.[sections).

9 192 INDIA Artillery : 9 batteries and 2 companies. Infantry: 26 infantry companies and the following supplementary units: 2 light motor patrols, 3I infantry motor platoons, ii platoons, i machine-gun platoon, 4 machine-gun sections, 24 armoured-car sections, 7 W.T. sections, I motor-cyclist platoon, i motor-cyclist section and i section of field battery; not including io units grouped for administrative purposes. Engineers : 3 fortress companies and I signal company. Railway corps : 4 regiments '(8 battalions) and 6 independent battalions making a total of 36 companies. Machine-gun corps : 2 companies. Armoured car corps : I company. Auxiliary force medical corps : i company. Auxiliary force signal corps. Auxiliary force veterinary corps. INDIAN TERRITORIAL FORCE. The Indian territorial force, constituted by the Indian Territorial Force Act, I920, consists of 3 main categories, provincial battalions (I7), urban units (4), university training corps (7 battalions and 3 companies) and medical branch. I. UNIVERSITY TRAINING CORPS. These units train all the year round (80o hours' drill during the first academic year and thereafter not less than 56 hours of actual drill and instruction). On ceasing to belong to a university, a member of the corps is discharged. In the case of the university training corps battalions, it is not intended to enforce the liability to render actual military :service. Their purpose is mainly educative, to inculcate discipline and form character. But, incidentally, they are expected to be a source of supply of both officers and men for the provincial battalions. The establishment of University Training Corps is 4, PROVINCIAL BATTALIONS (2nd line to the Indian regular army). The provincial battalions are intended to form a second line to the regular Indian army and their liability for military service is a general one--i.e., they may be employed anywhere within the limits of India, and, in an emergency, beyond those limits, by a special order of the Governor-General in Council.

10 INDIA 193 Men enrol in the provincial battalions for a period of six years, the period being reduced to four years in certain cases. On the completion of the first period, they can re-enrol, voluntarily, for further specified periods. Training is carried out as follows Recruits' training.... i month Annual training.. i month Additional annual training (13 units) i month The establishment of the provincial battalions is II, URBAN UNITS. During his first year, every man does thirty-two days' preliminary training, and sixteen days thereafter. The liability of urban units is confined to the province in which located. The establishment of urban units is 1,038. INDIAN STATES FORCES. After the war I914-I8, the Indian States, like the Government of India, undertook a military reorganisation, which, in a number of cases, has already been carried out. The principal feature of the new arrangements, as adopted more or less generally, is that in future the Indian States forces should be composed of three categories of troopsnamely: Class A.--Troops in this class are organised on the present-day Indian army system and establishments, and, with some exceptions, are armed with the same weapons as corresponding units of the regular Indian army. Class B.-These troops consist of units which are, in most cases, little inferior in training and discipline to troops of class A; but they are not organised on present-day Indian army establishments. They have, as a rule, retained the system of the pre-war formations. Their standard of armament is pitched lower than that of class A troops. Class C.-These troops consist in the main of militia formations, which are not permanently embodied. The standard of training, discipline, and armament, prescribed for this class, is generally lower than the standard prescribed for class B troops. RECRUITING SYSTEM AND PERIOD OF SERVICE. BRITISH ARMY. Only persons of European parentage are eligible for enlistment. Units of the British army are detailed for a tour of foreign service, of which the major part is as a rule spent in India. In the case of British infantry battalions, the system is that one battalion of a regi-

11 194 INDIA ment serves in the United Kingdom and the other overseas. The tour of overseas service of a British battalion is usually sixteen years. In the case of British cavalry the same arrangement cannot be applied, as one unit only comprises the regiment. The normal tour of overseas duty for a regiment of British cavalry is fourteen years. In the United Kingdom, in peace time, units are maintained at an establishment smaller than that required for war. In India, the peace establishments exceed the war establishments in view of the fact that reserves of British personnel do not exist, and reinforcements must be obtained from the United Kingdom. INDIAN ARMY. The A.G. has been vested with the entire executive control over the recruitment of all the personnel, combatant and non-combatant, which is included from time to time in the sanctioned establishment of a fighting unit or of any of the administrative services of the army. RESERVE, BRITISH ARMY. A British army reservist resident in India is not liable for training nor for recall to army service on mobilisation. RESERVE, INDIAN ARMY. The Army reserve is intended to supplement the regular Army on mobilisation. Service in the reserve is compulsory, a man undertaking on enrolment to serve at least five years with the colours and up to fifteen years combined colours and reserve service. The Army reserve consists of The Indian Regular Reserve of Officers; The Army in India Reserve of Officers; Indian Army Reservists; The Indian Supplementary Reserve; The Railway Reserve Regiment. i. The Indian Regular Reserve of Officers consists of officers of the regular Indian Army who retire with a pension or gratuity and who are liable for recall to regular service in the event of an emergency. They receive no reserve pay and are not liable for reserve training. 2. The Army in India Reserve of Officers furnishes the officer categories required for the various arms and departments of the Army in India.

12 INDIA I95 The establishment of the Army in India Reserve of Officers is 1,584, comprised of 1,063 officers in Class " A " and 52I in Class "B ". Training is ordinarily carried out either annually or biennially, according to the arm or department of the service to which the officer is posted. Officers in Class "B " do no training in peace. 3. Indian Army Reservists.-The Indian Army Reserve consists of private soldiers or their equivalent. It is comprised of class "C" reservists for Indian cavalry, artillery; sappers and miners, signals and infantry and class i for Gurkha Rifles.- There still remain a number of classes " A " and " B " reservists which count against the authorised establishment of the reserve, but these will be gradually eliminated. Training for Indian cavalry, infantry and Gurkha Rifles reservists is carried out biennially, and consists of three periods of training during reserve service. 4. Indian Supplementary Reserve.-The Indian Supplementary Reserve consists of technical personnel required to complete the requirements of the army in this personnel on general mobilisation, not provided for or only partially provided for by the normal Indian Army Reserve. The Indian Supplementary Reserve is divided into two categories : (i) Category B, consisting of 21 classes of tradesmen who are required to undergo an annual trade test in peace. (2) Category C, comprising 5 classes of tradesmen (drivers, electricians, fitters, turners and vulcanists) who are not required to undergo an annual trade test in peace. 5. The Railway Reserve Regiment.-This regiment is intended to maintain and operate military railways in the field during hostilities. Reservists are not required to undergo military training. British Army Reservists. Subject to certain conditions, the only British soldiers who may be transferred to the Army Reserve in India are (i) Those who enlisted in India; (ii) Those who, on expiration of their colour service or within six months thereof or on premature transfer to reserve on compassionate grounds, elect to reside in India or in another command abroad; and (iii) Those who, on expiration of their colour service, or on premature transfer to the reserve on compassionate grounds, wish to proceed to a British dominion, colony, possession, or a foreign country. A British army reservist in India is not liable for training nor for recall to army service on mobilisation.

13 196 INDIA EFFECTIVES. BUDGET EFFECTIVES OF THE STANDING ARMY ( AND I939-40). Officers with King's 1 rns 1 ^ o Indian King's ~'~ ~ British Total CZ M ID commissions 53 a fi ce other Toa other W ~. ranks officers lan British Indian ranks civilians officers officers 8 8 I Total forces in India proper , ,296 51,475 2, ,004 FORCES IN INDIA PROPER I. Fighting Services: Cavalry I , ,178 Artillery , ,997 Engineers ,055 Infantry.2, ,486 33,780 1,935 io8 82,693.. Tank corps Indian signal corps , i 3,813 Reservists I 3,904 Total fighting services 3, i66 3,740 46,856 2, ,640 II. Miscellaneous o i io III. Indian Infantry serving at Hong-Kong Total forces in India 3, ,936 46,856 2, ,614 SUMMARY TABLE OF BUDGETARY EFFECTIVES OF THE STANDING ARMY. [ I I [ British officers.. 4,091 4,096 4,050 4,000 3,971 3,970 3,977 3,883 3,943 3,579 Indian officers.. 3,443 3,442 3,396 3,345 3,369 3,405 3,4421 3,347' 3,2923 3,258 4 British otherranks 56,194 56,1I99 54,864 54,576 54,340 53,963 53,922 52,204 51,475 46,856 Indianotherranks I62,75I 163, ,509 I55,653 I56,024 I56, ,733 I52,861 I52, ,6I4 Total.. 226, , , , , , , , , ,307 1 Including 5 Warrant officers. 2 Including 3I Warrant officers. 3 Including I36 Warrant officers. 4 Including I52 Warrant officers.

14 INDIA I97 II. Budget Expenditure on National Defence. The financial year covers the period from April ist to March 3Ist. I { I I Closed accounts Revised Estimates estimates Rupees (ooo,ooo's) Army I Air Force Marine i Military engineer services , Total gross expenditure I Transfer to or from defence reserve fund Totalbudgetcharges ' Index numbers of: Wholesale prices (1929/30 = oo) ' Retail prices : Cost of living (I929/30 = Ioo) ' Average, April-May I939. A yearly contribution is granted by the United Kingdom to the cost of India's defence : up to I : I1.5 million per'annum; : '2 million; and I : j5.8 million.